She reached the Asylum- A Short Story
Sulekha’s distant cousin Ekta belonged to a small town and financially a very average family but she was very ambitious. Ekta’s husband, Rahul, also belonged to the same locality but because he was brainy, he cracked through IT Engineering Exam and got himself a job in an MNC. Both of them shifted to Mumbai and Ekta was mighty proud of her sudden riches. All her relatives, including Sulekha, laughed behind her back because of her dumb nuances and show-off nature.
Ekta’s daughter, Rekha, 19 years old, wanted to complete her Hotel Management internship in Bangalore so Ekta requested Sulekha to let her live with Minakshi (Sulekha’s daughter) in Bangalore for 3 months. Sulekha agreed and was rather glad because Minakshi was expecting (she was 5 months pregnant) and with Rekha around, she would have some company.
Things were going fine till one day Minakshi came home from her Yoga classes and saw Rekha in tiny hot pants and tight sleeveless T-shirt – trying to cook something for her husband Akash. Akash was sitting with his laptop (he was actually a workaholic) and was not in any compromising position with Rekha. Yet Minakshi could not tolerate Rekha in her vulgar dress – Rekha was quite chubby and she was looking vulgar in that tiny attire! Minakshi had observed Rekha trying to be flirtatious with her husband but Akash’s standards were way too high – she knew he would never be impressed with Rekha’s wannabe attitude…..but still her flirtatious nuances were irritating her a lot!
Minakshi: what the hell are you wearing? Spilling from all over – put on a dressing gown at least – you are looking vulgar!
Rekha: Dressing gown? Are you crazy? Its so hot and sultry here! ..and I am comfortable in these – and don’t you dare body shame me!
Minakshi did not argue with her and called her mother, Sulekha.
Minakshi: Mom, ask Ekta aunty to arrange her daughter’s accommodation somewhere else – her presence is just so irritating! I don’t want to increase my BP because of this beeping cu*$#@…. (Minakshi then told her mother about her cheap flirtatious nuances and her vulgar dressing sense that she was unable to tolerate)
Sulekha immediately called Ekta.
Sulekha: Ekta, I am sorry to say this…but please arrange some other accommodation for your daughter….it’s difficult for my daughter to adjust with her…she is very immature or I don’t know what – but my daughter is pregnant and I don’t want any mishap to happen at this moment….
Rekha had also called her mother and told her about the showdown.
Ekta: Sulekha, I just had a word with my daughter – and I am so amazed that Minakshi has such a narrow mind….she behaved like a backdated, village bred uncouth female and literally insulted my daughter because of what she was wearing!! I mean how dare she dictate terms to my daughter?
Sulekha did not have the patience to argue with Ekta …..
Sulekha: Yeah! Since my daughter has a backdated narrow mind….please ask your daughter to shift to someplace with broader minded people…and anyways, I will be joining my daughter soon because her delivery is due – so please ask her to shift asap.
Ekta understood Sulekha’s sarcasm….and she continued…
Ekta: What both of you mother-daughter are thinking – I know very well! Basically you think that your son-in-law will be drawn towards a more attractive Rekha and dump your daughter and….
Sulekha: Yeah – absolutely right – you are so intelligent Ekta – now please ask your daughter to get lost huh…..(Sulekha was getting tired of arguing with dumb Ekta)
Ekta: No – you listen – my daughter is young and pretty and she has the right to wear anything she wants and no one should have the audacity to….
Sulekha cut her short –
Sulekha: Of course – Rekha is so young and pretty that she can even walk around naked if she wants – just not in my daughter’s house…ok? So please ask her to pack up her bags now and leave …..
Ekta: I have already asked her to pack her bags and she is shifting to the mess allotted in the hotel for the trainees – it is a 7 star hotel…..they are all given good accommodation..
Sulekha: So why did she not go there in the first place!….anyways – no need to argue, I think we have talked enough for today. Goodbye.
Sulekha disconnected the phone as she was very irritated with the thankless bi@$*!
Rekha shifted to the hotel mess and had a good time – partying, boozing, taking drugs, cursing the training manager and having sex with random males…and even trying out same sex coitus that was so much discussed by the entertainment world!
10 years passed.
Ekta was 49 years old. Rahul dropped the separation-bomb…he wanted to divorce Ekta and marry his 32 years old secretary, Sheila!
Ekta: Are you out of your mind? Your own daughter will be 30 soon! …and you are going to marry that Sl*&%#$?
Rahul: Shut-up and mind your language – I will not hear any word against Sheila. And our own daughter married Vikas….he is just 2 years younger to me – what about that? Love can happen anytime, anywhere….
Rekha had gotten married to ‘sugar daddy twice divorced’ Vikas after a lot of family showdown! Being a party animal and heavily into drugs and alcohol, Rekha could not adjust with some colleague who was earning just as much as she was! Her dreams and aspirations were high – foreign vacations, hi-end boutique dresses and jewelry to show off….only rich old hag Vikas could provide her with that and thus she went ahead and married him. He turned out to be an abusive man (the reason for his earlier divorces) but Rekha quietly adjusted to it – after all she had gotten used to being filthy rich.
Ekta had visited her once and seen her daughter’s badly bruised face and swollen eyes! Apparently Vikas had caught her in a compromising position with a waiter and thus hit her hard right in front of all the guests! She accepted her fault and promised to never indulge in promiscuous relationships…. all this had happened right in front of Ekta’s eyes and she had helplessly watched it all happen! Ekta was already devastated by this incident and within a month Rahul dropped the bomb of separation!
Ekta called up Sulekha and asked her if her husband (who was a well known lawyer) could stop this from happening.
Sulekha: When and how did it all happen? How come you were clueless about his affair?
Ekta: Yeah – I first saw Shiela at the company picnic – she was wearing tiny hotpants and tight T-shirt- spilling from all over – she was looking so vulgar and cheap…..all the males were ogling at her…I should have picked up the hints from there….
Sulekha: But the Facebook pics that you sent of Sheila – she looks quite fit and sexy…..she is a young lady after all – she has the right to dress up the way she wants na….who are we to judge?
Ekta: There is something called decorum … She was dying to show her voluptuous cleavage to everyone at the picnic – be it the driver, cook, peon…..executives…..such a horny B@^#%$ she is!
Sulekha: Aww…since when did you become so narrow minded – behaving like some back-dated uncouth village bred female? Sheila is young and sexy…she showed her assets and won the lust of your husband…..unlike my son-in-law Akash you see…he has a stronger personality so he did not fall for the charms of any Cu@#^$%…but your husband Rahul may not be as strong…..he fell for the bait!
Ekta: Is this the moment to mock me?! Here my life has gone all haywire and you are mocking me? And you are defending the cu#^%$ who broke my house?!
Sulekha: Just listen to yourself Ekta! When your own daughter behaves like a cu#$^% – you defend her vehemently….and did you see the consequences? She got married to an abusive alcoholic sex maniac! But when Sheila used the same charms to rope in males by exploiting their biggest weakness….you call her a cu$^%&#? You are so contradictory huh!
Ekta: I called you to ask your husband…if he can stop this marriage from happening – that’s all I am asking for…..will you please help me?
Sulekha: My husband is a criminal lawyer Ekta….he does not deal with divorce cases…I hoped you knew this much at least! Anyways, I will ask him to recommend some good lawyer for you.
Ekta ran from pillar to post in order to stop the marriage from happening. She demanded 70% of Rahul’s property as alimony if he were to separate from her! She even reached Sheila’s house and met her parents. Unfortunately both her parents were greedy pigs and they knew their daughter had made a very good catch at her age! Later Ekta came to know that Rahul was already very pally with them and had even spent a weekend at their residence!
Slowly and gradually Ekta started losing her senses…eventually she reached the asylum. Rahul did not have to pay any alimony – since he was paying the asylum charges. He told the psychiatrist to give her small doses of medicine…. so that she remains in the asylum for the rest of her life. The psychiatrist agreed as he would also make good amount of money to keep Ekta under his treatment. Rekha was not bothered about whatever the hell was happening to her mother – she was spending time going abroad for vacations, buying expensive dresses, shoes and jewelry…just getting beaten 2-3 times a week…..but she adjusted to that!
Sheila shifted with Rahul along with her greedy parents and all were living together – enjoying his property and assets….much to Rahul’s new-found discomfort!